Leadership Lessons- 14 : All analysis are based on certain assumptions.

 Leadership Lessons- 14

All analysis are based on certain assumptions.

One of the important leadership quality is the capacity to do strategic analysis. This is important to understand the larger context of an organisation, or a local or national or global trend.

Analytical capacity is a must for spotting opportunities, assessing risks and also understanding challenges.

For any informed analysis, it is important to have four elements: a) regular and updated information b) actors c) political-economy context d) External and internal culture of an organisation.

Analytical capacity is the ability to understand multi-dimensional aspects of a problem or a larger issue and the ability to analyse potential trends and then build strategic direction of an organisation based on this analysis. There are multiple levels of analysis based on various elements of complexity.

Most of the modern organisations now have Management Information System that help and some of them also give trend analysis on a real time basis so that organisations can be effectively managed in terms of finance, markets, quality of work, quality of products etc. But the point is a large number of organizations may not have such sophisticated MIS or programming for data /information analysis. While MIS help the managers to manage an organisation effectively , that will not help to provide strategic knowledge or analysis that can help the larger organisation to move in the broader context.

In the organisational leadership, analytical capacity is not merely an academic analysis or analysis for the sake of analysis. What is required is a strategic analysis that will help to take both informed and strategic decisions.

One may collect all possible information- including intelligence information, strategic information and basic information- and also learn about all actors, but that does not mean the strategic analysis of a context in itself may be correct.

Because one of the most important aspects of any strategic decision making is to cross -check our assumptions. If the assumptions are based on on a wrong premises, the analysis also will be based on a wrong premises. So despite all available information, the decision may still be flawed.

Hence it is of immense importance to be open to new learning and an open to question our own assumptions.

An excellent leadership requires an ability to unlearn and learn in continuous manner. Many a time we need to dump the past baggage. It is important to think fresh- and also cross check whether once own assumption is in consonance with the complex reality on the ground.

Checking assumption and an open attitude to communicate as well as to new learning will make a big difference.

Let me explain an experience. There was a colleague of mine who was usually very prompt in responding to mails and often very professional in his approach. However, he was shifted to his home country, and then all of a sudden his response rate dropped. And few of my other colleagues were upset, saying that the person is responding etc. And also kept on complaining about the person.

They assumed that when he got a promotion and when he shifted to his home country he behave like a 'boss'. They assumed that he is 'arrogant' and hence he does not respond.

In such situations, emails don't help. So I called up the person. The fact of the matter was that he lost his father and he did not want to inform everyone as he did not like mixing his 'personal' life and 'professional lives. He was actually distracted with grief. He also even considered leaving the job. He felt guilty that he did not do enough for his father.

He was going through a difficult time. I have asked him to take two weeks off with salary and go for a travel and then he was completely fine.

The point is that in an organisational context or in the larger context, an erroneous assumption can make you to get in to wrong conclusion, wrong analysis and this can actually spoil relationships and also spoil opportunities and create new problems.

So an open-mind to cross check our assumptions is so key for an analysis. If we are not sure about assumptions,there are number of ways to cross check it. It is here a consultative and open-leadership culture really helps. Because, when you have an open-leadership style( as distinct to a closed style), people feel free to give friendly feedback, and also may give you important clues about information. An open leadership style make people to come and confide in you. It also helps people to give critical feedback and hints where you are going wrong. So an open and analytical leadership actually help in multiple ways.

Strategic Analysis is not a mechanical analysis with data and information management. Strategic Analysis is an organic and ongoing process. It is not a one time effort. It is a continuous ability to get updated about latest information, latest trends, latest intelligence information in the external and internal context of an organisation - and understand the nuances within the larger canvas and within the immediate context of an organisation.

Strategic analysis will continuously assess risks, cross check assumptions, observe the actors in the field and engage with all stakeholders of an organisation.

This ability to strategic analysis on an ongoing basis also help the leadership with a sense of imagination of creative options within the emerging context.

Hence an open leadership style and an ability to do strategic analysis help a leader to have a creative thinking, imagination and help them to be ahead of the game- and shaping the tomorrow to make change happen and a make difference within and beyond.

JS Adoor

To be continued

25Dani Babu Mathew, Shyama Menon and 23 others

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